The canoe/kayak competition will had 16 medal events in Atlanta on the Olympic program. The events are broken down into two categories, flatwater events and whitewater slalom events. The flatwater competitions will award 12 medals and the whitewater will award 4.

The paddler faces forward without the paddle being supported by a fulcrum on either side of the vessel, distinguishing the sport from rowing. Canoes and kayaks come in all different sizes, all kayaks are canoes but not all canoes are kayaks. Kayakers sit down with there legs extended in front of them, and the vessel is covered or decked. Canoeists paddle from a kneeling position with a single bladed paddle in a relatively open vessel, while the kayaker uses a double bladed paddle.

Canoe/kayak is divided into two sections - flatwater events and whitewater slalom events, the flatwater section will represent 12 of the 16 events in the program. Men and women compete in the flatwater and whitewater competitions, the canoe competition is only for men. The designs of the boats are different for the two different venues, the flatwater competition dictates speed, while the whitewater competition calls for control. The canoes and kayaks are built long and thin for flatwater competitions to enhance there hull speed and reduce profile friction. The whitewater boat is built shorter for maximum maneuverability and with higher keels to prevent water intake.

The ICF maintains that flatwater competitors must stay in their lane (9 meter wide) and not breach the five meter rule with their neighbor. The result of of breaking one of these rules is disqualification. The finalists are determined by heats, the top three finishers in the heats go to the semis while the rest of the competitors go to repechages - second chances, heats. The top three semifinalists move on to the finals where the medalists and the 4-6 places are determined.

The four whitewaterevents take place in rapidly moving water that can range in length from 400 to 1200 meters. The venue is man-made waterway a majority of the time, with intentions of simulating whitewater conditions found in wilderness. Placement in this race is determined by the elapsed time it takes the competitor to run the course, and correction for navigational errors. A five second penalty is added to a score if a competitor touches a gate and a 50 second penalty is added if a gate is missed. The gates are either upstream or downstream, depending on the direction the competitor(s) must pass through them.

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Canoeing and Kayaking Terms
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"5" - A five-second penalty assessed against whitewater paddlers who touch one or both of the gate poles while attempting to pass through the gate.

"50" - a fifty-second penalty assessed against whitewater paddlers. Penalty is assessed if paddler fails to pass through the gate while underwater or in the wrong direction (i.e. moving through an upstream gate in a downstream direction) or intentionally move a gate pole to permit movement through the gate.

Beam - The widest part of the canoe.

Bent-Shaft Paddle - Any canoe or kayak paddle with a bend in the shaft, usually at the paddle's throat area. Effect is exponential increase in efficiency (power) with varying compromise in control, depending on degree of bend.

Blade - The wide part of the paddle that goes in the water.

Bow - The front end of the boat.

Broach - Occurs when a canoe or kayak becomes caught in the current against an obstruction and turns sideways. Considered very dangerous.

C-1 - One-person canoe, usually decked over for whitewater river running. A C-2 is a two-person canoe, also usually decked over. The paddler kneels in the boat and uses a single bladed paddle.

Canoe - An open craft with pointed ends that is propelled with a single bladed paddle. Also called an "open boat."

Chute - Area where a river's flow is suddenly constricted, compressing and amplifying the current's energy into a narrow tongue of water.

Class I-VI - International standard classification system for rating the difficulty of fast-moving water.

Deck - Closed in area over the bow and/or stern of a canoe or kayak. Sheds water and, on a canoe, adds strength to the gunwales.

Downstream Gate - A slalom gate which is negotiated in the same direction as the flow of the river. Distinguished from an upstream gate by its green and white stripes.

Draw - A stroke pulling in toward the paddler at 90 degrees to the direction of travel. When executed by the bowman of a two-man canoe, it will turn in the boat in the direction of the drawing side.

Eddy - A pool of more calm water which is out of the main current of a stream. Located behind obstacles in the river or near the shore, eddies are likely locations for upstream gates, since the paddlers would not have to battle the full force of the current to move through an upstream gate.

Eskimo Roll - A maneuver performed by a paddler whose boat has rolled, or tipped over. By using the paddle as a brace against the water, the paddler can right himself or herself and continue competing.

Fast and Clean - The goal of a whitewater paddler; to be fast (cover the course as quickly as possible) and clean (to not accumulate penalty points)

Flatwater - Lake water or slow-moving river current with no rapids. Also a shorthand term to refer to the Olympic discipline of flatwater sprint racing.

Grip - The end of a canoe paddle opposite from the blade; should be shaped to fit comfortably into the paddler's hand.

Gunwale - (Pronounced "gunnels") The upper edge of the boat's side. Inside strips are "inwales;" outside strips are "outwales."

Hull - The body of a canoe or kayak; the area that has the greatest impact on how the boat and water interact. A flatwater sprint boat's V-shaped hull gives it better tracking, while a whitewater slalom boat's rounded hull makes it more maneuverable.

"J" Stroke - A stroke that ends in a rudder, usually used by sprint canoeists to avoid the need to move the paddle from one side of the boat to the other to maintain a straight line course.

K-1 - One-person kayak. For women's classes, a "W" is added (K-1W).

Kayak - Self-propelled watercraft in which paddler is fully enclosed and uses a double-bladed paddle from a sitting position.

Keel - The ridge running the length of the boat's bottom which prevents sideslipping in the wind or in a lake. Also adds rigidity or structural support to the hull.

Line - The path a whitewater paddler chooses to take through the gates.

Paddle- Primary tool for propelling canoes and kayaks.

Petit-Final - Literally "small final." Used to determine final placement of athletes who do not earn a starting position in the finals of a sprint event.

Rapids - Section of a river where the current speeds and flows turbulently over and around boulders, drop-offs, ledges, etc. Also known as whitewater.

Repechage - French for "second chance." This stage of a sprint racing event permits athletes a second chance to earn a spot in the next round of competition (the semi-finals).

River Left - The left side of the river as it would appear to a paddler facing downstream.

River Right - The right side of the river as it would appear to a paddler facing downstream.

Rudder - Dragging the paddle to create resistance; when executed by the sternsman of a two-man canoe, the boat turns in the direction of the rudder side.

Shaft - The narrow part of the paddle which the paddler grips.

Slalom - Short term for the Olympic discipline of whitewater slalom racing.

Sprint - Shortened term for the Olympic discipline of flatwater sprint racing.

Stern - The back end of the boat.

Sweep - A stroke made in a broad curve. When executed, the boat turns in the direction opposite the sweeping side.

Thwart - The supporting member extending across the canoe between the gunwales.

Upstream Gate - A slalom gate which must be negotiated against the flow of the river. Distinguished from a downstream gate by its red and white stripes.

Whitewater - Turbulent, heavily aerated water caused by its flowing around or over obstacles in the current. Also a shorthand term to refer to the Olympic discipline of whitewater slalom racing.